Daddy/Daughter Date Nights...

Each of you got to spend very special evenings with your Daddy this past week. Our Chickfila (the greatest around) had a Daddy/Daughter Date Night for Valentine's and Daddy took Ailee out for the enchanted evening full of flowers and horse drawn carriage rides. Ailee, you were so gorgeous in your "beautiful Winter Dress' you designed yourself. You have now decided you will be a designer when you grow up. You told me this week..."Mommy, I love to draw clothes that I like and then I want people to make them." Right now, that "someone" is me and your grandmothers! I wonder if in the years ahead we will be able to keep up? Anna Grace, Daddy took you out to the Daddy/Daughter Dance in town. You were so excited and kept your dress a secret until the night of the dance. You were thrilled about dressing up, Mommy fixing your hair, painting your nails and spending an evening alone with full attention from your sweet Daddy. I am SO glad your Daddy takes the time to set VERY high standards for what a real date should be one day! I want you each to accept nothing but the absolute best when the dating time comes...every door opened, chair pulled out, perfect respect, etc!

Anna Grace, Mommy loves to look into your beautiful blue eyes! Each time I see them shine so blue, especially through my camera, I remember that Spring Day at the UGA baseball game when I first saw your Daddy. All I really remembered about being introduced to him was his blue eyes. I immediatly told Mimi about them and we neither one had a clue that I would be blessed with such an amazing little girl with those same gorgeous eyes!

What a perfect couple!

It breaks my heart how very big you are getting!

Our snowflake angel ready to date with Dad!

Ailee, you looked so adorable all dolled up and ready to embrace the cold for the carriage ride! How special!

From the Child I thought I could trust...

Warning...this is straight out of the mouth of my 6 yr old so beware!

Scene in the house...I am vacuuming, Adelynn is asleep, the big girls are playing Hide and Seek.

I look up to see Anna Grace run through the house completely NAKED! I stopped looked twice and immediately said "Where are your clothes?"

With full authority she answers..."Mom, I took them off while we are playing so I could be completely camouflaged."

DID YOU SERIOUSLY JUST SAY THAT! I didn't know if I should laugh or cry! It was hysterical but at the same time a little worrisome. Didn't I just blog yesterday about my oldest being the one I could rely on to keep the crew in line! Oh my! The years ahead just flashed before my eyes as I quickly told her to run upstairs and put her clothes back on. I guess this just proves that kids are unpredictable and so much FUN too!

A Simple Snack...What happened to the Banana?

I know these are the typical in your face flash shots but I quickly wanted to record the moment...I gave sweet Adelynn a little banana for a morning snack in her seat as I gather clothes to wash, made the beds, etc. I heard her making fun sounds as I wandered through the house for a matter of only a few minutes. As I walked through to the laundry room, this is what I saw...

I guess a video of this would have been a better capture of the complete feel but her sassy nature came beaming at me as I turned the corner. She was so proud of the mess she had made and that she had ventured out of the norm for our household. Adelynn, you scare me a little. Even more than your sister, Ailee, you seem to have this desire to cross the line sometimes. Anna Grace loves to please, Ailee enjoys walking the line, but you, my little rascal, find pleasure in doing this things your own way. I am strongly praying against this personality and asking that it just be a phase that we will quickly count as our past. At least you have a sweetness about you that melts my heart in an instant, as well. Could you be any cuter? Even with an entire banana rubbed completely throughout your hair, up your nose, in your ears, etc.

Finally, you realize it is not quite as much fun to wear the banana as it is to eat it. I hope this is a lessoned learned. I have never done well with messy eaters. But, at least you eat, which is more than I can say about either of your big sisters. During the bath following this episode, you became so upset because you could not understand what all the stuff was floating in your bath water. Your are a mess, little one, literally today!

Snow + Circus...what a day!

WOW! What an amazing day full of fun we had! I really think these pictures of the beautiful winter wonderful we had the blessing of experiencing during your winter break just speak for themselves. The homemade sleds made out of thick plastic and cardboard boxes were a blast. You can tell by the look on your faces...Mommy enjoyed that part too! Then, Daddy helped all you kiddos make a super cute snowman. The creek running behind Mr, Derrick and Dee's house was so gorgeous. I felt a million miles away back in those woods watching Daddy pull you big girls on the sled. Then, we suprised you all with tickets to the CIRCUS that afternoon. I made you some new shirts to wear and we let you open them to see if you could guess where we were taking you. Your excitement was contagious and we felt like kids again ourselves. What fun memories we created on this special day!

I love this shot of Adelynn's little bottom covered with snow...it was so deep that you kept falling down in it!

Who knew a box, plastic and duct tape could be such a blast!

More Valentine Fun Memories!

This year I decided to do something with my girlfriends to celebrate Valentine's Day since Christmas was so busy that I did not get to host my brunch this time. It was such a fun time...we ate, laughed till tears came to our eyes, exchanged fun lingerie type gifts, and just enjoyed a few hours of one anothers sweet company!

Fun memories!

And since you girls were out of school for winter break, I suprised you with a sweetheart pancake breakfast in my bed! I love you my valentine angels!

Later on Friday evening, we got another surprise...a true winter break...around 3 inches of snow at our house. So much fun!

Pre Valentine's Day Shots

Happy Valentine's Day to my precious little Valentine's! Mommy enjoyed going to your school party, Ailee. Anna Grace, I was really sad that you did not have parents at your school yesterday but you had the best time anyway. You jumped in the car and immediately told me all about the valentine centers, cookies, math and other "heart" related activities you all did! Sounds like fun and ALMOST made me miss teaching! Then, I remembered all the fun I have at home! Cannot wait for a night out with my Big Valentine tonight! The snow is trying to keep us all stuck inside for this long holiday weekend out of school but we hope to still surprise you all with your Valentine trip to the CIRCUS!

I love watching you and Maci together, Ailee. She is a middle sister too and it is going to be pure trouble one day with you two such close friends! Fun times ahead I am sure!

Ailee's 4th Birthday...The Snowflake Princess Party

Ailee, you picked out the Snowflake Princess theme for you 4th birthday party because of the "beautiful Winter Dress" you designed for Santa and his elves to make for you. You wanted to wear your special dress for your birthday so you could be a snowflake princess. It was so fun planning this party with you. You picked out all the details, even down to the snowflake wand you ordered for me to make two days before the party. I loved watching you and all your fancy friends playing in your "winter snowglobe" party!

The banner was fun to create with some special photos of you and the tablescape turned out just perfect for this aqua and red theme! The chocolate dipped marshmellows stuck out of containers filled with epson salt to make it look like snow crystals. The chocolate dipped pretzels with aqua sprinkles looked like icicles. We had white powdered donut balls to look like snowballs, snowflake cookies, white cheddar popcorn, red-heart gummies, and hot chocolate! Under each plate, we used paper doilies to resemble a large snowflake placemat.

The two chandeliers that hung over the table were decorated with various kinds of snowflakes and tissue balls (tutorial on Martha Stewart Living website).

I painted another party theme plate to add to the collection that decorates the wall of your bedroom. When we get to birthday #12, you will have a great set of plates to serve at a very special 12th bday tea party!

The cake was another masterpiece made by Grammy. She outdid herself with this one, I think!

What a special and perfect cake for your big day!

Everyone always wants a taste of Mimi's sugar cookies and this time she made them into snowflakes with sugar sprinkles! I think you even helped her this time too!

Just a few more details of the big day!

This time we treated your guests to a paper doll that looks just like you! I found a lady online that will create a paper doll with two pages of clothing if you send a photo of your child. They turned out precious and you girls have been dressing "ailee" up everyday after school! (Notice all the hand cut paper snowflakes hanging off the favor table you and your sister cut out for weeks before this party to use as decorations)
Mimi made a great set of glitter snowflakes and a big number 4 to hang from the back of your special chair, birthday girl!The door signs, snowflakes and spray snow made the entrance to the party super cool!
Mommy and Daddy love you more than you can imagine, Big Snowflake Princess!


We have all kinds of crafts to keep you little fancy girls busy. You made scratch and shine snowflakes, decorated a large snow scene on the wall and...

made some really cute snowman canvases to take home! (You still needed to add the details before the party was over)
This was the doorway near the craft table. I love how the paper snowflakes you girls made prior to the party hung in the windows!
Time for Happy Birthday and some CAKE!
Your sisters were very excited to celebrate with you too! I think Adelynn thought the entire day was about her...that is normal though, right?

Present time...Daddy got you a soccer ball because the two of you are going to take on a new adventure for our family of all girly girls...sports!
Mimi and Granddaddy surprised you with a SUPER adorable puppet theatre! It is big enough for all three of you to put on some really cute shows. I cannot wait to watch them. So far, all the performances you and Anna Grace have done have been closed. You must be practicing hard for a knock-out show!

You also are a big girl now, so Grammy and Popa got you the big version of an American Girl doll. You picked out Rebecca so now you and Anna Grace have been playing like crazy with Kit and Rebecca together.
I am so glad I was able to share in this special day with you! Celebrating birthdays in a BIG way always reminds Mommy what a wonderful miracle it was the day each of you entered my world! I also think planning the fun parties for you all helps alleviate the sadness that comes with you growing up year after year.

I love you beautiful Snowflake girl!